Blood Lust
by UnderwaterOphelia
Summary: A misunderstanding leads to an embarrassing, yet sexy situation. Rated M for a reason.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Life hit me hard recently and gave me some serious writer's block, but I'm back and needed to get the creative juices flowing, so here you go!

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Kouga's mouth watered at the scent of a group of wild boar and whistled to his betas to flank as their hunting party raced to cut off the sounder. A few attacks later and the herd was thinned in half, the wolf demons leaving the pregnant and nursing sows to run off while hoisting the carcasses of the older hogs and young males on their backs.

Hefting up the largest over his shoulders, he thought to himself how lucky they were to have found this sounder. The hunting in his territory was becoming more sparse and they'd had to chase this group nearly to the edge of his territory. At least with Naraku dead, they could focus on rebuilding the tribe and stocking up for the winter. Kouga let out a soft sigh and turned to begin the trek home when a familiar ear piercing scream made his heart stutter.

Throwing the boar at his men and shouting for them to take it back to the den, he raced towards the sound of Kagome's screams, praying to the gods that he wasn't too late. Scents surrounded him as he raced into the clearing, seeing Kagome covered in the claws of a giant bear demon that was on a rampage. A quick swipe at the beast's arm and he snatched up the falling beauty, hearing her gasp of his name nearly distracting him from the berserking beast.

Gently setting her down at the tree line without a second glance, Kouga quickly diverted his attention back into killing the bear demon. Within a few moments he'd felled it with a huge slash to the artery in its neck, coating his face in it's blood in the process. He landed and shook himself off, wiping the blood away while turning to Kagome.

A high blush bloomed on his cheeks as he realized how tattered her clothes were from the attack. Here she stood in front of him, shivering and just attacked, and all he could focus on was the exposed skin of her hips and thighs, her skirt barely hanging on by a thread. He shook his head and tried to get a hold of himself while he unwound the wrap around his waist. Her modesty mattered to him far more than his did.

He watched her face flush with an amused smirk as the wrap fell and he was left in his fundoshi. Kouga heard her slight gasp and saw her eyes trail down his nearly bare form, intentionally flexing a bit since she seemed to be enjoying the show. He gave her a fang flashing grin as he followed her eyes down his body to the tenting fabric that was his only covering.

Kagome always put up a good front, but anytime he came around her sweet scent would betray her, the smell of honey weaving into the natural vanilla that clung to her skin. It was one of the reasons the mutt was so jealous of him. Kagome probably didn't know it, but she always broadcast her interest loud and clear, and clearly her body preferred him over the dog.

He'd even stopped wearing his armor anytime he went to see her, letting her ogle him all she wanted. Plus whenever she was in danger and he'd catch her, he could tell she enjoyed the bare skin contact just as much as he did. The smell of her desire always tortured him long after he left her back with the group and more often than not he'd take care of himself in the woods close to her camp.

Shaking his head and taking in a good whiff of her desire laden scent as he drew closer, he stopped short when the scent of blood overpowered his favorite smells. An alarmed look took over his face as he worried over her. Had the bear demon gotten to her before he did?

"Kagome, you're bleeding! Where are you hurt?" Much to her embarrassment, Kouga tried to figure out where it was coming from, sniffing her all over until he finally found the source. He kneeled in front of her and shoved his face right in front of her exposed thighs, not realizing how many lines he was crossing in his worry for her.

As soon as he breathed in all rational thought fled his mind as the delicious scent of blood and Kagome's feminine scent mixed on his taste buds. Kouga now realized that she wasn't injured at all and that the blood was just her cycle, but couldn't bring himself to move away. As his eyes tinted with pink he closed them, pulling her scantily clad core to his nose as his breathing went ragged. A low growl escaped his lips and he felt her thighs quiver and clench around his face.

Stuttering and blushing, she yanked him away by his ponytail and as he stumbled to his feet he realized what he'd done. Quickly handing over his fur wrap, he growled out an insincere apology. She stared at him wide-eyed for a moment before her eyes dropped to his pulsing, obvious arousal. A quick gasp and she turned her face away, fastening his wrap around her waist.

Kouga took a moment to adjust himself and tried to calm his breathing. Pulling out his loosened ponytail and scratching his scalp with both hands, he breathed deep and cursed under his breath. He looked up at her through dark lashes and his turquoise met her sapphire, the tension palpable in the air between them.

"Can you meet me at the treeline of my groups camp after dark? That'll give me enough time to change so I can give you back your furs." He nodded sharply and turned to leave, grinning at her over his shoulder at the sharp uptick of lust in her scent. Flicking his tail side to side to draw her eyes to his toned ass, he sauntered out of the clearing and heard her soft sigh of frustration.

The hours ticked by and he paced back and forth around the perimeter of the camp just outside of the mutt's senses. Kagome, however, apparently knew he was there, because everytime his aura got restless hers would pulse soothingly in return. By dusk it was a game in between them, he'd flare his aura and wait to see how long she took to respond and brush it with hers.

Until finally, he flared his aura one last time and watched as she stepped into the treeline. Her sleepwear was the most revealing thing he'd ever seen and he groaned inaudibly at the sight of her pert nipples beneath a thin layer of cotton. Kouga noted that her bottoms were much of the same, not even big enough to fully cover her shapely ass. How in the hell did she expect him to just walk away from her?

And her scent! Gods it was intoxicating. The divine smell of blood mixing with her honeyed desire was enough to drive him mad. She stopped in front of him and stared into his eyes, the whites just slightly tinted pink from his heightened emotions. When she handed back his fur covering, his eyes tracked her movements predatorily. Bringing the wrap to his face he grinned and licked his fangs after inhaling her scent mixed with his on the fur.

Kouga's instincts went into overdrive as his actions brought forth a fresh wave of desire from her. She bit her bottom lip and squeezed her thighs together, but it did nothing to stop the heady scent of her womb clenching under his dark gaze and carnal grin. Throwing caution to the wind and deciding to leap on the chance while she was here and alone, he tossed aside the wrap and was on her in an instant.

He pressed his lips against hers feverishly, devouring her mouth like the starving animal that he was. Kouga fed on her soft sighs and ragged breathing, only coming up for air to lead her backwards into the nearest tree and prop her up against it. He grabbed her thighs and pulled her up flush to him, her hands moving up to the nape of his neck. The feel of her ankles connecting behind his tail and the soft moan she released as he nestled his hips between hers made him weak in the knees.

Kouga was drowning in her blood soaked scent, revelling in the feel of his hard length pressed against her with only two layers of fabric between them. A slow thrust against her was met with a gasp against his lips. He rolled his hips and was rewarded with a soft sigh of his name, the friction building with each thrust.

"W-we shouldn't!" He heard between moans as she broke away from his all encompassing kisses. "What if s-someone catches us?" His response of "Let them watch" clearly wasn't appreciated because she his her face in his chest.

He felt a soft sigh against his chest, and heard a mumbled question of, "What are we doing here Kouga?" He tilted her head up to look in her eyes and raised an eyebrow sarcastically, watching her roll her eyes in exasperation.

"Well, I don't know about you Kagome, but I'm trying to convince my woman to be my mate in any way that I can. This way seems to be working well enough." He thrust up against her for emphasis.

"But we hardly know each other! We've been allies and friends for years, but we don't actually know that much about each other. And besides, it's not exactly a good time for this sort of thing anyways…" He smirked at the way she trailed off and wasn't able to stop blushing.

"Woman this is the perfect time. Why do you think I wasn't able to restrain myself earlier? You smell fucking delicious. I would devour you in a second if you gave me half a chance." At her disbelieving look, a lecherous grin formed on his face and he moved his hands from her thighs to her luscious ass, groping and fondling the whole way up. "I'm a wolf Kagome. I know everything about you that I need to know. You're kind, and loyal, and one of the strongest people I know." He whispered into her ear and nibbled her neck.

"B-but what about my group? I won't do this behind their backs. I won't sneak around in the dark Kouga. Things may not have worked out between Inuyasha and I, but I won't hide anything from him like this. He's my friend." The fire and determination in her eyes and voice clear, he dropped his forehead onto hers and sighed. He gently dropped her legs and let her down, staring into her eyes.

"Give me a chance Kagome. We have the passion, the chemistry, the friendship and companionship. Give me a chance to prove my love and make you love me in return." She bit her lip and he could see the indecision warring in her eyes. Her hesitant nod had hope soaring through his heart and a smile spreading across his face.

"We're heading back to the village near the Goshinboku and the Bone Eater's Well. Meet me at the well in two days and we'll spend the day together, not hiding anything." At that he spun her around in joy and loved the way it made her laugh.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kouga bit the inside of his cheek as he sat on the lip of the old well, a nervous tic that he'd never managed to break that started whenever he saw Kagome. It was the anticipation, the longing, the sheer wonder of finally getting her attention and hopefully being able to hold it. He couldn't help the way he felt for her. The moment he'd set his eyes on her, really looked at her once she was in his domain, she'd entranced him.

Her soft skin and the sparkle in her azure eyes called to him in a way he'd never felt before, and that was even before he truly knew her. She was so goddamn perfect. And when he'd seen her last, she was fully receptive to his advances! Panting and moaning in his arms even! A shiver ran down his spine just remembering it.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he heard Kagome's group coming over the hill. Was it just him or did she speed up her steps a bit when she saw him? And of course when she smiled up at him and he tentatively entwined his fingers with hers, they ignored the grumbling and sulking Inuyasha was doing at the rear of the group.

"So Kagome, what did you have in mind for today? Any plans?" Kouga couldn't help but get lost in her deep blue eyes. Even when he heard the kitsune, neko, slayer, and monk join them in the valley he didn't dare look away from her, lest she vanish from his sight. As he inhaled discreetly to check her scent over, he realized there were still traces of those intoxicating pheromones surrounding her. She was close enough to the end of her cycle that it wasn't distracting, but it was definitely a teasing and pleasant aroma to be around.

"Well, we're thinking that since it's so hot today, we should go to the beach just to the South of here. It's been a while since we've all had a break from traveling and exterminating demons, but it seems to have died down now. Sango thinks it'll be quick if they ride Kirara and you and Inuyasha run. How does that sound?"

A slow grin spread across his face and he nodded, excitement ramping up as she handed a reluctant Inuyasha her bag to carry so that Kouga could carry her. The moment he kneeled a bit and she hopped onto his back he was off, wanting to get a head start on the others so he could have her alone for a bit.

She squealed and whooped behind him as he ran, making him laugh the whole trip there. They arrived on the shoreline in a whirlwind of sand and laughter, and as soon as she slid off of his back he turned around and gave her a playful kiss on the nose. Her giggle and smile up at him made him blush and smile back.

"Well I guess we can go into the water now. I wore my swimsuit under my clothes!" She pulled her shirt, skirt, and shoes off without a second thought and practically ran into the water, leaving a very shocked Kouga in her wake staring at the skimpy dark blue suit. She was practically naked! It was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen in his life. Luckily no one was around yet to see the effect it had on him.

Tossing off his own furs and leaving them next to her clothes, he jogged after her in his fundoshi, grinning at her sharp intake when she saw his nearly nude form. He walked over to her in the waist high water, preening a bit as she looked him over and bit her lip. Knowing his woman was devouring him with her eyes sent a shiver all over him and he found himself flexing for her a bit, trying to impress her.

"Like what you see?" Kouga didn't really expect her to answer but when she blushed and slowly nodded it was like a direct stroke to his ego and his loins. He swept her up into his arms and lowered his lips to hers, aiming for a chaste kiss. Kagome, however, clearly had other ideas and deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and tunneling her fingers into his loosened ponytail.

Kouga couldn't help but growl as he pressed their bodies together, hoisting her up so she could lock her ankles behind his tail. He heard her soft groan as he thrust himself against her, the heavy line of his erection pulsing against the thin fabric of her bathing suit bottoms. She released a soft and feminine gasp against his lips as the hands holding her aloft wandered a bit lower and found their way under her bikini bottoms.

Grinding his hips against hers, he broke the kiss reluctantly to trail rough kisses down her neck, ending in a feather light rasp of fangs against her pulse. Her high keens and whimpers were probably the sexiest damn thing he'd ever heard, but he knew they needed to stop soon. His ear flicked in the direction of the shore. Fucking Inuyasha was only a few miles away now and he knew Kagome wouldn't want to be seen like this. She was too modest and sweet for that.

"Mnnm, fuck 'Gome... we gotta stop." She'd somehow managed to wriggle her hand underneath his fundoshi and was making his life a living hell with teasing strokes. "Fuuuck, they're coming." He tried to pull his mouth away from her neck but he was having a hard time with how good she tasted.

"Coming already K-Kouga? And here I thought youkai h-had stamina." She gasped out as he stroked her through her swimsuit. He could feel every twitch, every jump he gave her body as he ghosted his fingers along her covered slit. A better man would've stopped already, but he just needed to savor this moment a bit longer.

"Not me woman, your fucking friends! They're on the way here." He growled out, making her gasp and desperately try to fling herself out of his arms. He barely managed to keep her from falling backwards into the water before gently helping her stand. A cute blush stained her cheekbones and she couldn't seem to look at him as she tidied her appearance and put her swimsuit back in place.

"Thought you said you didn't want to hide what we're doing from your group." The muttered sentence seemed to fall out of his mouth before he could catch it. She finally looked at him then, a soft "oh" when she saw his crestfallen expression. He felt a hand come up to cup his cheek and caught sight of the most gorgeous expression in her eyes.

"Oh Kouga, I didn't mean it like that." She teared up when she realized what he must have thought. "I want my friends to know about you, about us. But maybe they don't need to actually see all of… that, to know that we're together. Some things aren't exactly meant to be public." They shared a smile as his face lit up in understanding and it slowly turned to a grin on his face.

"Oh hell, I don't care if they know." He crashed his lips onto hers in a dazzling kiss, lifted her up and sun her around in exuberation. The crash of the waves all around them lulled the couple into an easy romantic moment, and he whispered against her lips, "Come with me later tonight after we make camp? I want to show you something. I know you'll love it."

A quick nod as she gazed up into his eyes had him feeling starstruck and he tried to resist the urge for one last peck, but failed miserably. The sound of the monk's wolf whistles in the distance was almost drowned out by their soft giggles at being caught.

The day passed by quickly with lots of splashing, frolicking in the waves, and even a bit of rough-housing between Kagome and Sango as their respective boys hoisted them up for a chicken fight. Inuyasha chose to mostly stay out of the water and grump about, but even he got pulled into a game of marco polo since he knew he had a clear advantage.

As dusk descended over the small group and they finished setting up camp just enough off the shoreline to escape sleeping in sand, it occurred to Kagome that she had no clue where Kouga was going to sleep. He'd never slept in their camp before, always dashing off back to sleep in his den, at least that's what she assumed.

Glancing over at him as he concentrated on skinning a deer he'd hunted for them, she realized she'd have to get over her modesty and share a sleeping space with him. Sango and Miroku were married now, and often slept farther away from the camp for more privacy. Shippo had his own blankets now that he was older, and he let Kirara sleep with him most nights for the extra warmth. Inuyasha preferred to pick a tree for the night.

It wouldn't be so bad or so scandalous, as long as he stayed on his side of the sleeping bag. She could unzip it all the way and it basically became a queen sized futon, right? And she had an extra blanket for the winter nights, so they could use that to keep warm. Nodding to herself, she had it all planned out, even if she couldn't stop blushing.

At the uptick of desire in Kagome's scent and the sudden pounding of her heart, Kouga looked up at her and saw her glance at him. He wasn't sure what he did to prompt that kind of a response from her, but he'd take what he'd get. Grinning, he rushed through the rest of the dinner preparations and gave a quick stretch and wiped his hands off once he was done. He'd let the rest of the group do the actual cooking.

Sliding up behind her, he whispered in her ear if she was ready to go see what he had planned while Sango and Miroku cooked. At her nod, he gave a quick shout that they'd be back soon before scooping her up. He ignored Inuyasha's warnings to keep his hands to himself and Miroku's taunts to do the exact opposite.

A few quick minutes of running away and he skidded to a halt. As he let Kagome down, her soft exclamation of "oh Kouga" was enough to stroke his ego and let him know he made the right decision. There, with a small steaming waterfall on one side and surrounded by large boulders on the other, was a small onsen. And judging by Kagome's reaction it was a welcome sight.

He was almost tempted to let her finish ripping off her clothes and jumping in naked in front of him, but he decided to remind her of his presence and coughed. She blushed the brightest pink he'd ever seen before motioning for him to turn around. Kouga rolled his eyes but smirked as he turned, and only started disrobing once he'd heard the splashing of her toeing her way into the water.

As she dipped her hair back in the water and glanced over her shoulder, Kagome noticed quite a bit of tan male skin and smirked. What the hell had she gotten herself into?


	3. Chapter 3

Gods she was so fucking perfect. Kouga waded into the waist high pool and watched the beads of water cascade down her back as she surfaced. Diving in nearly soundlessly, he swam up behind her and then stood behind her, feeling a deep satisfaction when she decided to lean back against his chest.

"I had a lot of fun today. Thank you for inviting me into your group." The soft whisper against her ear tickled as he cuddled her back against his chest. The soft swell of her curves beckoned invitingly, but this wasn't the time, and he avoided staring at her bare breasts. He wanted to savor sweet moments like this, when she gave him her trust.

She leaned her head back against his muscled torso and smiled up at him, enjoying the feel of his forearms around her. "Thank you for being so patient with them. I know it's a weird situation now that we've gone from friends to… whatever it is that we are." He sighed softly as he realized she still didn't fully understand.

"I'm not really sure what the human version of it is, but in the demon world what we're doing right now is considered courtship. A sort of trial before a true mating. I'd like to put a courtship mark on you, but that's a more serious step, and I won't do it without your permission. Normally two demons will bite down on each others necks and infuse it with so youki so it doesn't heal, but I'm not sure if it will work since you're human." He watched her brow furrow in thought.

"I think I'd like to try. Tell me more about what it means? It sounds like when humans get engaged, sort of. I guess they'd call it being betrothed in this time." She leaned back against his chest, loving the feel of his skin against hers. His arms flexed against her waist and his thumb brushed small circles near her hip.

"For us, it's like a temporary partnership, a commitment to not entertain any other advances. It lets other demons know we're taken, even if only temporarily. Is that something you're interested in with me?" He held his breath as he waited for her answer and tried not to let himself hope too much.

She turned in his arms, needing to see his face but glad for the steam at least partially obscuring their nudity. "I do, but are you certain you want me still? Even though the shikon jewel is gone? I'm human. I can't give you full demon children. I think about it sometimes and worry." She brought a hand up to brush across his cheek and let her fingers tunnel in his hair as she confessed.

His answer was simple, a breathy "Of course I still want you." against her lips. Kouga tried to convey all of his emotions, all of his love through the kiss. He needed to distract away her insecurities in the only way he knew. Breaking off the contact, he trailed his lips down her jawline as his hands wandered across her body.

Hitching her legs up around his waist, Kouga quickly guided them to the bank and laid her down on their clothes as comfortably as possible, resting above her on his forearms. Kagome couldn't help the rosy blush creeping up her face as she felt him throbbing against her inner thigh. He smiled down at her adoringly and nuzzled his face against hers.

"Are you still okay with trying out the courtship mark?" He whispered into her ear, making her shiver. At her soft affirmative, he started nipping and licking the juncture between her neck and shoulder, letting his aura rise around him in preparation. Kagome found herself mimicking his actions and allowed her reiki to join his and swirl around them. A shaky moan escaped her when Kouga bucked his hips into her at the feel of her delicate tongue stroking his neck.

As Kouga bit down and poured his youki into her skin, Kagome muffled her pained cry into returning the bite, breaking the skin and infusing it with just a little of her reiki. An acute blinding pain and then suddenly it was over, Kouga's tongue soothing the torn flesh as he groaned in pleasure. Once he pulled his face away from her, the sight he was treated to nearly made him cum right then.

Kagome looked up at her lover in a daze, brushing her fingertips across her lips smeared with crimson. She brought her fingers up to see his blood with half-mast eyes, licking them clean one by one. A low growl escaped Kouga's throat as he dipped his face down to hers and ravaged her mouth, tasting himself as they tangled tongues.

Panting as he broke away, Kouga licked his way down her bare body and settled between her parted thighs before she even realized what was happening. Pupils dilated and sclera bleeding sanguine, his eyes held hers as he devoured her core. She buried her hands in his hair, searching for purchase and guiding him where she wanted him most.

Broad strokes of his textured tongue drove her mad, back bowing and thighs clenching as he brought her closer to the edge. His name fell from her lips unconsciously, panting as she lost track of time and her whole world collapsed down to only Kouga. The scrape of fangs against her cunt left her twitching and he growled, giving a soft nip in reprimand to stay still.

Stroke after stroke over her clit and suddenly she arched up, the tight ball of tension releasing. Tears in her eyes and begging him for reprieve, she pulled him up into a sloppy kiss. The taste of her cum on his lips sent her reeling, and she clenched and rippled in the aftershock. An idea started forming in her mind and she rolled over, pushing him off her while coming to her hands and knees while closing her thighs.

The slippery feel of her own juice between her thighs made her shiver, and she looked over her shoulder when she felt him nudging at her slit. She pushed the tip slightly down and he easily slid into the cleft below her vulva. After an experimental thrust he gripped her hips and started fucking her thighs so hard she nearly fell forward. A soft moan left her lips as the head of his shaft thrust over and over against her engorged clit with every stroke.

"Oh gods, please Kouga, don't stop," Kagome panted out and she dug her nails into the grass below them. She could hear his feral snarls and growls above her ear as he bent himself over her and increased his speed from the added leverage. The lewd slap of his testes against her skin left a sharp sting that only added to her growing climax.

Falling from her hands to her elbows from a particularly good prodding, the shift in angle was just as sudden as the orgasm it created. The clenching of her thighs had Kouga following right after, erupting between her legs and shooting long streams onto the ground below them. They collapsed together in a heap of sweat and cowlicked hair.

Kagome watched the red recede from his eyes and noted that his dick was still hard as diamond and engorged at the base like a wolf's, twitching and dribbling out more cum every so often. Mentally filing that away, she snuggled into his arms and he planted a kiss onto her new courtship mark, nuzzling it gently.

Lifting a hand to touch his own mark, he could feel himself grinning like an idiot. Kouga had never thought it possible for her to reciprocate a bitten mark without his quick healing abilities getting in the way. His woman was absolutely amazing and full of surprises. A soft snore from his left made him snicker and settle in for a night of pins and needles in his bicep. It was worth it.


	4. Chapter 4

Kagome wasn't sure that she could blush any harder. Kouga had insisted on carrying her back into camp the next morning, nuzzling her affectionately the whole way. The exasperated look on Inuyasha's face when he saw them was only rivaled by the disgusted look and the roll of his eyes he gave them when he smelled Kouga all over her. The group watched on curiously as the wolf put her down gently and held her hand while she blushed.

"As much as I want to stay, I do need to head back to the tribe today. It's the start of the whelping season. Two of the wolves are gonna give birth soon and Ginta's mate Ari just had their first litter. Do you want to stay here with your friends or…?" He trailed off hopefully, scratching his neck as he looked down at her.

Kagome looked up into his beseeching eyes and thought about it for a moment. "Could I join you in a few days? I'd like to go through the well and visit my family. It's been a few weeks since I saw them last."

A sliver of disappointment flickered across his face at the thought of spending any amount of time without her, but he nodded his head, understanding the importance of family. "Okay Kagome, I'll meet you by the well in three days. Can I take you there now to drop you off?" At her small smile and nod, he watched as she said her farewells to the group and then helped her pack up.

Kagome couldn't help but blush as Kouga hoisted her bag over his right shoulder and then effortlessly lifted her up with his free left arm. Biting her lip at the show of easy strength, she wrapped herself around his body and settled into a comfortable position as he gave a quick wave to her friends.

As soon as he started running Kouga dipped his head down to nuzzle her courtship mark. Her soft giggle rang in his ears despite the wind howling around them, and they couldn't keep their hands off one another for the remainder of their journey. Light caresses along Kouga's biceps and flirty claws teasing along the seam of her panties were all in good fun until they reached the well.

Mood turning somber suddenly as Kouga released her and handed over her bag, Kagome pulled him down for a goodbye kiss with a frown on her face. "I'll see you in three days" he whispered against her lips before releasing her and watching her disappear into the timeslip.

As much as Kagome was excited to see her mother and Kouga was happy to be back at the den, the time apart seemed to trickle by slowly for them both. The slow creep of loneliness settled on their hearts until the moment Kagome jumped back through the well and straight into her lover's arms.

Soft whispers of _I missed you so much_ and _I love you _rasped out of their throats as Kouga twirled her around and peppered her face and neck with kisses. He snatched up her bag and lifted her effortlessly, eager to take her back to the den and show off all the changes he'd made for her.

The boys had all teased him relentlessly for mooning over her and for all his instinct driven nesting he'd done for the last few days straight. Rolling his eyes at the thought as he started running in the direction of home, he couldn't help but chuckle. Maybe he _had_ gone a bit overboard with the den building, but with all the scents from the mating season still lingering in the air and the whelping season just beginning, it was just natural. He wanted to show her he could provide in the hopes that she'd say yes to a full mating before the next season came around.

As they neared the rocky cliffs of his territory he looked down at his love, a sweet smile on her lips as she looked up at the scouts waving down at them from their posts. A quick plunge through the icy water of the entrance and they were home. Kouga set her down and immediately the whole pack pounced on her, ready to show their excitement that she'd finally accepted Kouga's courtship.

"Alright you mangy mutts, let my woman breathe!" He joked good naturedly while making sure to push some of the unmated males a bit farther away from her. After allowing her a few hugs from the pack betas he entwined his fingers with hers and led her down further into the mountain towards their new room. He whispered to her that he had a surprise for her as they started passing the rooms for mated pairs and the nursery and playrooms for the pups. After a few minutes of letting her explore and fawn over the newborns he tugged her away gently, but only after indulging her by letting her romp around with the older puppies.

Seeing her interact with the pups stirred up his instincts and reminded him of what he wanted to show her so badly. As soon as he'd returned from dropping off Kagome at the well and filled in the pack about the courtship marks, he'd begun carving out a proper room in the den for Kagome. No more sleeping out in the bachelor's den for him and patrolling all night now that she said yes. It was all instinctual, carving out the rock to make a hallway and den for privacy, piling up the fresh skins and pillows to make a soft bed, filling the space with decorations and clothing she might like. One look at her face as they entered and it was all worth it.

Her soft gasp was filled with wonder as she inspected every detail of the room. From it's clever zigzag hallway entry for privacy to the massive fur nest in the back that made her blush, it was clear that he'd thought of her needs and desires every step of the way. Hopping into Kouga's arms, she crushed him in a hug and smothered him in kisses.

She giggled as he brushed a lock of hair away from her face, bumping noses with her and smiling down at her with love in his eyes. A sudden thought came to her and she wriggled in his grasp to get down to where her backpack was. Kagome ignored the look of confusion he gave her as she rummaged through her bag until she found what she was looking for.

"I actually have something for you too. I brought a few things from the future that I thought you might like, a few things for the pack, and my mom packed some things she thought we might need." The blush creeping up on her face was adorable as she held out a smaller bag and moved to sit over on the nest of furs. Kouga dutifully followed her and sat as close as he was able.

Pulling out the first of many small gifts, Kagome held out the small comb in front of her. She waited with bated breath as Kouga turned it over, marvelling at all the detailed carvings along the wood grain. "I passed that in a shop near my home and couldn't help but think of you when I saw the shade of blue coloring the moon and stars. I hope you like it."

Her nervous ramblings were instantly quieted when he leaned forward for a tender kiss and whispered against her lips that it was perfect. Breaking away, she smiled up at him and showed him the other things she'd packed. After it was all said and done, in addition to the comb she'd also presented him with an unscented shampoo and conditioner set, a few sturdy hair ties, a toothbrush, and some extremely comfortable boxers and socks.

"I never expected courtship gifts out of you so soon Kagome." He mumbled as he pulled her into a deeper embrace and she sighed against his soft lips. The moment was short lived unfortunately, as Kouga's head snapped up when Ginta and Hakakku called for assistance in the main den.

A sigh escaped him as he bent his forehead to hers before untangling their limbs. "Go ahead and get settled in. This room is yours as much as it is mine." He gave her one last peck on the cheek and stood, promising to be quick.

Looking around and rolling up her sleeves, she started unpacking and rearranging her clothes and belongings. Realizing that Kouga had even carved small shelves into the walls near the bed, she smiled as she placed her undergarments there.

A slight blush crept over her cheeks when she got to the bottom of the bag where the items her mother had insisted on packing were. They consisted of a few small packages of birth control, lightly scented candles to scatter around the room, and some lacy things for her "wedding night" as her mother had said. She'd tried to pack condoms as well but Kagome had been forced to blushingly tell her mom that they just wouldn't work well with Kouga's particular anatomy and left it at that.

She was just barely able to stuff the risque items underneath all the normal clothes on the shelf just as Kouga walked in. He paused for a moment, the telltale twitch of his nose all the warning she got before his eyes pinkened. A shiver ran up her spine at the peditory way Kouga's eyes gleamed in the candlelight, following her every move. Surprised, she backed away a step and stumbled into the foot of the bed, falling onto it in shock at the sudden mood change.

"Are you okay?" Blushing and trying to get her thoughts under control, Kagome was a bit stunned at the lack of an answer to her question as he stalked towards her. He backed her up onto the bed and paused above her on hands and knees, nose brushing against the mark on her neck. Taking a deep inhale, the absolutely divine scent emanating from her drew a heavy groan from his chest.

"How is this even possible? The mating season is over and your cycle was just ending a few days ago… But no, this scent is different, there's no blood..." Kouga murmured against her neck as his fangs began to ache. He knew that breathing in her intoxicating scent was flirting with danger but he just couldn't help it. "Fuck you smell so good."

"W-what do you mean Kouga? What a-are you smelling?" Her breath hitched as he dragged his tongue across her courtship mark and snuck a hand underneath her short green skirt to knead her cheeks. A wave of her arousal hit his nose along with that heady scent of fertility and he jerked away like he'd been electrocuted.

"Shit, we gotta-we gotta stop. We gotta stop now or I'm not gonna let you leave this room until we're mated." Kouga backed away slowly, Kagome's eyes trailing along his form until she saw the tent in his furs. Seeing the longing in her eyes and smelling her arousal intensify, Kouga practically ran from the room, leaving Kagome a confused and aroused on top of the pile of furs.

* * *

Author's Note: Just to clear up any confusion, he's smelling her body gearing up for ovulation, but doesn't understand it because wolves and wolf demons go through one estrus once a year (between January to March, whelping season is March to May). He's confused because he thought her period was that "cycle" just a short time ago. To put it in a timeline, this is day 11 out of a 28 day typical menstrual cycle.


	5. Chapter 5

A woman's soft voice calling her name a few minutes later was unexpected, but Kagome tidied her dishevelled appearance and called out for the person to come in. A young brunette carrying two tiny bundles in a sling across her chest approached Kagome slowly, and sensing no hostility, gingerly sat down next to the blushing girl.

"My name's Ari, I'm Ginta's mate, and these two are Ichiro and Kaiya. Kouga sent me here because he's worried about you. Are you okay Kagome?" The shock that spread over Kagome's face at hearing that this was Ginta's mate, who had just given birth, was nearly comical in nature.

"Am I okay? Of course I am. But Ari didn't you just have those babies a few days ago? Shouldn't you still be resting?" She made sure to keep her voice down so she wouldn't wake up the sleeping babies, despite her rising anger at Kouga for disturbing this poor woman.

"I'm fine Kagome, these two were the only pups in the litter. First litters tend to be easier since there are less pups to birth." The young woman smiled at the unconvinced look of concern on Kagome's face.

"But as Beta female it's my responsibility to help you anyways, since you're going to be our Alpha female eventually. If Hakkaku had a mate, they would also be here too. Now, Kouga tells me there is something going on with your heat cycle. He said that you'd just been finishing your cycle less than a week ago but now we're clearly smelling something similar. According to Kouga it's different, a stronger smell. Do you know what's gone wrong?"

A creeping blush slowly crept up Kagome's face as Ari talked, and when the wolf demon looked at her expectantly she found she had to force herself to speak through her embarrassed state.

"T-there's nothing wrong, what's happening to me is normal for humans. And I think I know what everyone's smelling. Hm you know what? Maybe it would just be easier to show you rather than tell you." Reaching to the side of the bed where her bag was laying, she quickly pulled out her small planner that she kept track of her period in.

"I guess I'll just try to explain this the way my mom explained it to me. So on these papers each square represents one day, and I use this to mark when important events happen." As Kagome explained how the calendar worked Ari looked on with fascination.

"So this day right here was when I started bleeding this month" despite her matter of fact tone the blush was still present as she pointed it out. "And this was when my bleeding started last month, and here the one before it, and so on..."

Ari's eyes looked back and forth from the pages to Kagome's face in shock. "Humans go into heat every month?" Kagome nodded and was about to speak up about it when a soft whimper from one of the pups interrupted her thoughts. Ari took a moment to shift the two tiny bundles around so that they could nurse.

"So to answer the other question about why it's a stronger smell, I should explain a few other things. Human women bleed every month for about 6 days, however that isn't when we're actually fertile. That peak fertile time is about 14 days after the start of the bleeding time. So you can see on the paper that I'm on day 10, so it's about to start. That's what you're smelling I think."

Closing the planner and blushing to the roots of her hair, Kagome looked to Ari and was surprised to find her smirking a bit. "Oh my, well Kouga is in for quite a shock then. I guess he'll be sleeping in the bachelor's den more than he thinks until you two mate." She couldn't seem to hold in her laughter at that thought and before long the two girls were laughing so loudly that Ichiro and Kaiya were both awake.

"So how do female wolf demons work then?" Kagome's soft question slipped out as Ari took the pups out of her sling and laid them on the bed. She held a hand out and looked to Ari for approval before gently stroking Kaiya's hair back, making the small pup latch onto Kagome's finger to explore it.

"Well we're a lot like wolves I suppose. We're fertile once a year just as Spring starts, and then we have our litters 3 months later. Luckily the first litters are always smaller numbers." She gently rubbed Ichiro's belly as she talked, clearly entirely focused in on the two little pups.

"You're only pregnant for a few months? That would be so nice. Humans carry for 9 months and most of the time we only have one baby at a time. It's kind of rare to have more than one." Ari picked Kaiya up and gently put her into Kagome's arms, supporting her tiny head with a hand, and then picked up Ichiro.

"Would you like to come see the women's quarters and nursery tomorrow? I don't think it would be very safe for you to venture into the main areas until after you and Kouga are fully mated, or he may get too riled up while we're out there. But you're always welcome to come into the female section, and if you'd like to bathe just follow the hallway all the way back until you feel the steam. Almost no one uses the hot springs at night, so you'll probably have it to yourself."

Kagome nodded as Ari started putting the pups back into her sling and the two of them stood and walked to the door. "I'll let Kouga know what's going on and we can have one of the girls bring your dinner here later." With a wave, Ari left and Kagome was left on her own.

Collapsing onto the bed, Kagome sighed and thought about her rotten luck. Stupid body and it's hormones. Bunching up one of the blankets, she cuddled up to it and inhaled the smell of leather and pine Kouga had left on it. She absolutely loved his smell, so woodsy and alluring. It made her think of all the times he'd held her close and kissed her senseless. Why did this have to be so difficult?

Pausing, she realized that maybe it didn't have to be so difficult. She was the only one really holding herself back, and while she may not be ready to fully commit yet, she was a mature adult. Maybe she needed to have an honest chat with herself about what she wanted out of her relationship with Kouga. Kouga had said before that he wanted her to be his mate, but what exactly did that mean? Was it just another name for his wife? Were wolves even monogamous?

With a sigh Kagome gathered her bathing supplies and crept out of the room towards the hot springs. Steam slipped around her as she entered the cavern and she sighed appreciatively as she slipped off her shoes and dipped a toe in. She shimmied down her skirt and pulled off her shirt, sighing in relief when she ripped off her bra and panties.

Slipping into the water, she slowly swam over to an outcropping of rocky ledges in the center of the springs and sat on one at the perfect height to keep her head and neck above the water. She closed her eyes and allowed the damp steam to settle around her, obscuring her form and preventing her from noticing the alpha wolf and his two betas walk through the entrance on the other side of the room and slip into the stream, jostling each other and laughing quietly amongst themselves.

A rough shout of Ginta's name after Kouga got dunked underwater had Kagome gasping in surprise and her eyes flying open.


	6. Chapter 6

Kouga's head whipped around as if Kagome had slapped him again.

"K-Kagome?!" A flash of bare skin had him whipping his hands out to push Ginta and Hakkaku out of the springs. With a harsh yell at his betas to guard the entrance to the onsen, Kouga turned back to Kagome on high alert.

Seeing the faint outline of her form through the fog and waist high water, he laughed to himself and realized this was the perfect solution. He could barely smell her distracting scent at all. He hadn't even realized she was in the springs until she made a noise. Stalking towards her predatorily, Kouga came up behind her and melded his chest to her back. Kagome looked over her shoulder at him wide eyed and covered her breasts with her forearms in alarm.

"Ari let me in on your little problem Kagome. Luckily, my nose doesn't work as well here because of the steam and water. We can be in here all we want." He planted a kiss on her courtship mark as she relaxed against him. Arms sneaking around her and palms spreading across her belly, Kouga pushed his semi-hard groin against her ass. At the unconscious shifting of her hips he sprung to full attention and grinned down at her as she turned her head to give him better access.

"Kouga can we talk?" The hand that had been insistently inching it's way downwards stopped at her soft whisper. He snorted out a soft breath and nodded into her shoulder. "I, I wanted to thank you for being so understanding earlier. I didn't know humans and wolves were so different." He watched her nibble her bottom lip and think over her next words.

"You don't think we're too different, do you?" Kouga's lips turned into a frown at the turn in the conversation. Turning her in his arms, he wiped the skin slick hair away from her face and brought her eyes to him. A soft hand reached down to hold his and she smiled weakly, a tear nearly slipping off her lashes.

"Kagome, you are my entire world, my one and only. I don't care how different we are. Though honestly, we can't be that different, considering how affected I am by your scent." He pushed his length up against her and smirked as she blushed. At the sound of her heartbeat speeding up and the sight of her licking her lips, a groan bubbled up from deep in his chest.

He could do this. He could bring his head down for a few soft kisses without going too far, right? Wrong. The way she threaded her hand through his loose hair and pulled had him ready to devour her within seconds. She seemed to like it a little too much as he broke the kiss and focused on her neck, gasping in delight and urging him closer as he dragged his fangs down her collarbone.

"Mmm, c'mere." Kagome dragged him backwards by the hand and pushed him into leaning against the closest wall in the shallows. The sight of her sliding her body down his had his thoughts scrambling. He felt his soul nearly leave his body as she looked up at him and took him into her mouth. A harsh whine left him and his head fell back as she nibbled on the glans and cupped his balls.

Kouga couldn't help but rock his hips up as she sucked him into her mouth and bobbed her head. The soft sound of the water rippling with their movements echoed through the chamber as he held her hair away from her face. She wrapped her left hand around the portion of his dick that couldn't fit in her mouth and pumped roughly, reveling in the aroused growl it elicited. Kouga watched as she shivered in reaction and snuck her right hand down below the water to play with herself. The sight of her shifting hand and bucking hips below the water's edge sent him reeling.

He couldn't take it anymore, it was pure pleasure to the point of torture. His hand in Kagome's hair roughly pulled her face away and suddenly he was free of her mouth. Kouga hauled her up off her knees and turned them around, placing her forearm on the rock wall he'd been leaning against. Crowding behind her and pulling her ass flush to his hips, his length hard as diamond as it nestled in the gap between her cheeks.

"Touch yourself while I fuck your thighs." The harsh growl of his words had her shivering as she brought a trembling hand down to finger the small bundle of nerves at her center. Kouga wrapped one arm around her waist and leaned one hand against the wall, slowly dragging his cock lengthwise across her dripping cunt. The sharp gasp she let out and the feel of her small hand touching herself right above his dick had him losing control, pistoning his hips sharply against her over and over.

"K-Kouga!" Her hips snapped back into his as she wailed his name. The rumbling snarl he let loose sent shivers down her spine and she sped up her fingers. Kouga could feel her abdominal muscles clenching underneath his arm and feel her arousal dripping down her thighs onto his dick. The thick feel of his testes drawing up had him growling into the crook of her neck.

Two thrusts later and Kagome's body went ramrod straight, thighs locking up and cunt spasming as she pushed her hips back into his. Unfortunately when she pushed back and Kouga pushed forward, their angle was perfectly aligned and he slammed straight into her clenching core. Their eyes went wide in sync but Kouga was already spasming inside her, the thick bulge of his knot locking them together as his hips jerked involuntarily. A harsh groan of her name slipped out of his mouth as her walls milked him for every drop.

Kagome's soft moan and the shift of her thighs trying to get comfortable brought him out of his stupor. Realizing the full extent of what they'd done, Kouga brought his head down to the crook of her neck. Her smooth, unmarked neck. The pack was gonna kill him. They'd be shunned for having sex while unmated. It was against their laws, mostly to prevent unmated pregnancies. And with him locked in her during her fertile time? It was a distinct possibility.

"I'm so sorry Kagome. That wasn't supposed to happen." The shame was apparent in his voice as he lowered them both down to sit. He made her as comfortable in his lap as he possibly could, knowing they'd be knotted together for a while. "We'll most likely be driven out of the pack for this since we aren't mated. And there's a good chance you'll get pupped from this. Gods this wasn't how it was supposed to go!"

The melancholy sound of his whispers against her skin made Kagome's heart clench. The reality of their situation settled into her mind, but it was the thought of being pregnant with Kouga's child that was centerstage in her imagination. She could already see them, Kouga gently holding a tiny swaddled bundle with two triangle ears sticking out. Kouga teaching their little one how to play with the other wolf demon pups, or how to track and hunt and fight. And Kagome, she would hold their little baby tight in her arms every night, nursing them gently at her breast while the man she loved cuddled her from behind.

The man she loved? Kouga, she loved him? She loved him! So what was holding her back? A preconceived notion of how long they should date or court or whatever? Well that certainly didn't matter anymore. Mind made up, she looked down to where Kouga's arms were crisscrossed over her abdomen and laced her fingers through his.

"Kouga, why don't you ask me this time?" She looked over her shoulder where his forehead was leaning against her back. He looked up into her smiling face, confused. "Think back, what did you tell me when we first met all those years ago? Instead of telling me what I am, why don't you ask me?" She smiled as his brow furrowed and she could practically see the lightbulb switch on above his head when he figured it out.

"I-I told you that you were my woman. So, you want me to ask…" The way she bit her lip and smiled hesitantly had his heart soaring with hope. "Kagome, will you be my woman? Be my mate?"

Her whisper of "Yes" was muted by his lips crashing onto hers, and only a scant minute later Kouga's jubilant howl announcing his mating echoed through the caves.


	7. Chapter 7

Hello everyone!

I've moved all my stories onto Ao3 due to 's content policies about explicit writing. Find me at Archive of our Own with the username UnderwaterOphelia and see all the updates I've posted! I'm also on Tumblr, and my username is underwater0phelia, with a zero instead of the letter o. Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Ophelia


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